How do I become a 3 Gunner?

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Bergeron

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Hey folks, I got some questions for ya'll 3 Gunners. I really like the idea of 3 Gun, shooting rifle, pistol, and shotgun. I just have absolutley no idea about what would consist of a good setup.

The way I understand it, there are two main forms of 3 Gun. Tactical and IPSC. Within IPSC, there appear to be several classes. What are the classes, and how are the classes defined?
 
Do you shoot USPSA now? If so the rulebook defines things like what makes a rifle and SG open or limited, power factors and such. That is your two classes for IPSC 3 gun. Right now it seems that everyone does things slightly different. A basic good set-up would be your usual IPSC pistol, a AR variant with a muzzle brake and a basic reliable shotgun like maybe a Remington 1187.

Right now I shoot a 870, the pump is no great disadvantage to me, the key to whatever you do with shotgun is fast reloading. Get a bunch of snapcaps and practice dry reloading. Of course the open shotgun guys have speedloaders and all that crap.

The AR, out of the box will get you through enough matches until you decide what you want to do to it.

The pistol? Who cares! Right now I'd shoot my production class Glock, other times a single stack L10 gun.

Go to a match, that will get you started. If you get used to how one club does it, don't be suprised if another does it totally different. Example: My club usually deals with about 100 yds max for the rifle, lots of steel targets and usually a 20yd average run and gun 40+round affair of a paper stage. Went to another place and they ran rifle on their pistol stages, max of 15 yds.
Now the World 3 gun had shots out to 300 yards I think, a little different than some were used to.
 
I would second the opinion that you should just go to your local matches and check them out. There are many variations on the rules from club to club because there isn't really a world governing body for 3 gun like there is for something like IPSC or IDPA.

USPSA clubs usually run USPSA 3 gun rules, but it varies by area. My local IDPA club made up their own 3 gun rules. Works for us.

Wilhelm, as a Californian, you are kind of limited down to guns that don't have pistol grips. If you decide to go .223 that probably sticks you with a Mini-14 and if you want to go .308 you have the M1a. There may be others also, see what the other local competitors are shooting.

Don't spend a bunch of money before you go though. Gather up what you have, borrow what you need, go and have fun. See what works for you and what you like and go from there. You don't need to spend a ton of money on equipment to be competitive.

One personal pet peeve though, (match director hat on) make sure you wear a holster that will retain your handgun. Many of the IPSC style speed rigs are made to hold the gun as you walk up to the first firing area. They will not hold the gun if you do anything more high speed than that. (like actually moving or something)

3 gunning is the most fun you can have wearing pants. :)
 
There is a relativley close range, Nick's, that hosts once-monthly 3 Gun shoots. Some of the fellas that I have shot practicew USPSA with in Baker go to it. Back when I had a functioning centerfire pistol, I asked about bringing my USP9F, Mossy 835, and Remingtion 7600 in .35 Whelen. They told me to just show up with my pistol and look trustworthy, then someone might loan me a "proper" shotgun/rifle to shoot the match.

I'm not yet a member of USPSA, would anyone be willling to either post or e-mail me the rules (classification, power factors) on USPSA 3 Gun? I would really apreciate it.
 
CAS (Cowboy Action Shooting) is a regulated 3 gun match. Basically every stage shoots pistol (10 rounds), rife (10 rounds or so) Shotgun (2-10+ rounds). There is also urban cowboy, but these are not regulated. These are usally any modern pistol, rife is some cases, but always a modern shotgun.

It's good advice to go a visit your local to watch first or call the program director and ask questions for the area. Enjoy...:p
 
Planning on it, but I want to wait until I get my pistol back from the shop. There's monthly registered shooting in New Iberia, and that's not evey a half hour away.

The rest of my family went to see a CAS shoot on Saturday. Sounded interesting, they said that the people there were the nicest folks they had seen at any shoot. The only thing is that I tend to prefer the more modern "racegun" type stuff.
 
Bergeron:

Fixed magazine SKS's with strippers are cheap and fast to load. They are legal in California. Should you want to try, contact me and we can set a time to meet at Chabot, or San Leandro.
 
Thanks for the offer, Gary H, I really appreciate it,.... but the LA stands for Louisiana. If I do wind up out your way, though, I will let you know.
 
How to become a 3-Gunner?

First, take all your money.

Wad it up in a ball and then soak it lighter fluid.

Ignite.

"Poof" you are a 3-Gunner :neener:


Like everyone else said, take what you have out to the range and play a bit before getting goofy. We had a guy at last weekend's match with a single stack .45, a 870 pump, and a M1A. Another guy runs a STI .40, a Model 12 with a 10-round tube, Cutts comp, and a Optima, and a Mini-14 with a custom handguard (integral Optima mount), 3-9 scope, and a pistol grip stock.

I'm usually fairly normal (well, fairly). .40 STI, SX2, and an AR. My open rig lets me lose any semblence to "normal" (Open STI, USAS-12 with a carry handle Scout-type mount and a C-more, and a dual-sighted heavy-barrel bipod'ed comped AR), though.


Alex
 
Alex, around here we don't feel the need to set our money on fire just to be a 3-gunner. Makes no sense. I think it's much better to use the money as wadding in shotshell reloads. ;)

Bergeron, you're lucky. Not only did Alex warn you about not going "goofy" to begin with buying stuff, he then defined it with his open set-up. That is very nice gear, its also the sign of someone who wakes up at 3am thinking of 3-gun.
 
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